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Home favorite Ben Shelton was forced to withdraw against Adrian Mannarino in his third-round match at the 2025 U.S. Open.
The Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd were disconsolate as the sixth seed pulled out due to a left shoulder injury.
American Frances Tiafoe (17) is on court, with Carlos Alcaraz (2), Jessica Pegula (4) and Elena Rybakina (9) through.
Novak Djokovic (7), Aryna Sabalenka (1) and Taylor Fritz (4) headline the evening session in New York.
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Ben Shelton retires from U.S. Open with left shoulder injury against Adrian Mannarino
FINAL: Bucşa 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 Mertens
Another seed bites the dust at the 2025 U.S. Open!
Elise Mertens, the 19th seed, is beaten by Cristina Bucşa.
The Belgian took the first set but Spaniard Bucşa fought back to win in three, going the distance in the decider.
Her reward is a tie against either top seed Aryna Sabalenka or Leylah Fernandez (31), who play on Armstrong later today.
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Tiafoe 4-6, 3-6, *3-4 Struff
Francis Tiafoe is battling to stay in this set, let alone the match at this point.
Jan-Lennard Struff has been consistent today and simply put, Tiafoe's quality has not been where it needs to be to advance.
That can still change but it has to happen in a hurry for the favorite.
Ben Shelton's 2025 season at the slams comes to a screeching halt after retiring due to injury against Adrian Mannarino in the third round of the U.S. Open.
In the previous three slams, Shelton lost against the eventual champion. He fell to Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open semifinal. Then, in Paris, the American lost in four sets to Carlos Alcaraz.
At Wimbledon, Sinner trounced Shelton in three sets during the quarterfinal.
A tough way to end on his home patch.
Ben Shelton's retirement will certainly send shockwaves through the men's draw at the U.S. Open. He was in the same quarter as Carlos Alcaraz, where they could've met in a seismic quarterfinal.
Now, it's an easier path for Alcaraz to the semifinals. The likely quarterfinal opponent for Alcaraz is 20th seed Jiří Lehečka, against whom the Spaniard has a 2-1 record.
Shelton's retirement isn't the notable top seed to pull out due to injury. Jack Draper, the fifth seed, withdrew from the U.S. Open following his first-round win. Draper was the highest seed in Sinner's quarter.
The highest seed remaining in Sinner's quarter is No. 10 Lorenzo Musetti. Much more doable paths to the semis for the top two seeds.
Heartbreaking for Ben Shelton.
And heartbreaking for his dad Bryan, who has been around the block a few times and recognized it was the hard thing to do to pull out, but the right thing.
That's part of the responsibility of being a coach, and a parent. Knowing when to throw the towel in when your fighter is really hurting.
The victorious Adrian Mannarino spoke on court after his victory by default was confirmed. Here's what he had to say.
💬 “When he started to have pain he was leading. Honestly, he probably would have won that match. It's unfortunate for him and very lucky for me, but I don't really know what to say. I'm happy to get through. I wish him the best, of course.
“I was having good fun on the court, really long rallies, losing some and winning some. It was a pretty cool match to play. Ben is playing really well. He kicked my a** at the beginning of the summer and he is such an amazing player.
“It was a great match. Even if I was losing, it was pretty cool. Thanks to all you guys for being nice with me.
“I'm just trying. I'm 37 years old, it's my first time winning the match from the toilets. There's always new things coming up. I'm still enjoying my time on court and I hope to extend it for a little while.
“For now, I'm just going to try to enjoy my day. A lot of stress, a lot of fighting, the later I find out (who I'm playing in the next round), the more I enjoy it.”
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After Ben Shelton lost the fourth set, Adrian Mannarino left the court for a toilet break. The American sat in his chair, putting his head in his towel before talking with the physio.
You could just sense that a retirement was looming. Shelton's serve speed dropped in the fourth set. He wasn't doing full rotations on his forehand. Toward the end of the fourth set, he winced in pain, grabbing his shoulder following a lengthy rally.
After covering his face with the towel one more time, Shelton decided to retire from the match. He shook hands with Mannarino, before the crowd roared as he exited Louis Armstrong Stadium, the towel draped over his head, fighting back tears.
What could have been for Shelton. Two weeks ago, he won his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Toronto. Now, he closes the 2025 slam season, not making the second week of his home tournament.
Ben Shelton had to retire from his third-round match with Adrian Mannarino Friday with the score level after over two hours and 45 minutes of maddening, chess-like tennis that flummoxed Shelton first mentally and then physically.
After a hard-fought third set, which Shelton won with a scarcely believable diving get from the back wall of Louis Armstrong Stadium that forced an error, he grabbed his left shoulder after serving to win the first game of the fourth.
He returned to the court after a medical timeout, but he was a shadow of himself. He clasped at his left side one more time as Mannarino served out the fourth set.
At the changeover, Shelton sat at the side of the court in tears, with a resigned look on his face. His father and coach, Bryan Shelton, gave him the sign that he had to quit.
The U.S. Open is Shelton’s biggest stage and the site of his announcement to the tennis world. He could not risk it becoming the place that his career — or his potential as a top, major-winning player — ended in a gallant defeat.
FINAL: Mannarino 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4 ret. Shelton
Adrian Mannarino delivers a blazing backhand winner on his sixth set point opportunity to capture the fourth set.
Ben Shelton sits in his chair, puts his head in his towel and talks with the physio. He then decides to retire due to the left shoulder injury which plagued him in the fourth, shaking hands with Mannarino.
Shelton walks off the court with the towel draped over his head. He waves to the crowd as they applaud.
Tough for the American, who a few weeks ago won his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Toronto.
Tiafoe 4-6, 3-6, 0-0* Struff
Struff has break and set point, leading 40-15, but Tiafoe wards him off with a forehand winner.
The German then finds the nylon with a backhand. Deuce.
Tiafoe returns the favor with a backhand of his own into the net. Advantage Struff.
The American has been broken again, losing his serve and therefore the set. He ripped a forehand into the net and seemed shocked that he made such a critical error there.
Shelton 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 4-5* Mannarino
Ben Shelton is grinding right now. His serve speed has gone down. It's evident that the left shoulder is still bothering him, as he winced in pain grabbing it after a point.
But the American somehow holds serve, saving four Adrian Mannarino set points. Now, it's the Frenchman's turn to serve for the fourth set.
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Shelton 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 3-4* Mannarino
What a change of events on Louis Armstrong Stadium! After barely escaping with a hold, Adrian Mannarino follows with breaking Ben Shelton's serve.
The Frenchman delivers a clapper of a backhand return at 15-30, inheriting a 139 mph serve and sending it back perfectly for the crosscourt winner.
Mannarino gets the break and is now two games away from forcing a fifth and deciding set.
During the changeover, Shelton puts his head in his towel and looks down. Can the American search for answers?
Tiafoe 4-6, 2-4* Struff
Jan-Lennard Struff has break point but cannot capitalize as he rips a forehand long. Deuce.
A double fault by Francis Tiafoe gives his opponent the advantage and his second break point of the game.
This time the American cannot fend him off, sending a backhand wide to drop the point.
Shelton 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, *3-3 Mannarino
That was an intense game as Adrian Mannarino escapes with the hold. Ben Shelton is trying to mitigate whatever he's feeling with the left shoulder. He's employing a lot more forehand slices and trying to quicken the points.
We're tied at three in the fourth set. Very few empty seats remain at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
“Here we go Ben, here we go!” clapping chants can be heard from passionate supporters.
Tiafoe 4-6, *2-2 Struff
Through four games in the second set, there have been no breaks between Francis Tiafoe and Jan-Lennard Struff.
The favorite dug himself into a hole by dropping the first set and will need to find another gear to separate from his opponent, who appears confident with a set under his belt.
Shelton 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 2-1* Mannarino
At first, Ben Shelton was testing out the left shoulder following the medical timeout. He hit his forehand long and his serve speed dropped.
But slowly, the American raises his serve power. At one point, he clocks a 138 mph serve, albeit a fault. Shelton holds and lets out a big “Yeah!” as the crowd cheers.
However, the No. 6 seed gets another shoulder rub from the trainer during the changeover. Definitely something to watch as this match concludes.
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Tiafoe 4-6, *0-0 Struff
Well, this is a tough start over on Grandstand for Frances Tiafoe.
Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff has taken the first set against the American and is having joy both at the net and on his serve, which Tiafoe is struggling to read.
Shelton 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 1-0* Mannarino
After Ben Shelton holds to start the fourth set, he calls for the trainer. The American is receiving a medical timeout to attend to his left shoulder.
Hope it's nothing too serious!
Carlos Alcaraz is used to playing under the lights at the U.S. Open. But today, his third-round win was the first on Arthur Ashe Stadium at 11:30 a.m. ET.
It didn't bother the Spaniard too much, as he won in straight sets.
💭: “It's something that I'm not used to. It's just the second match that I played, you know, 11:00 or 11:30 a.m. The first one was in Rome. This one the second time that I played this time.
“So for me I just went to bed at 11:00 p.m., 11:15. That for me is really weird, to be honest, which I am really proud about it.
“Yeah, I just woke at 7:00 in the morning just to be ready to warm up well, feeling awake, and feeling good.”
